FRIENDS OF
LAKE KEGONSA SOCIETY
Ice On / Ice Off Contest
Amazingly, Lake Kegonsa has recorded ice event data dating back over 100 years!
Tracing the history of documenting Lake Kegonsa ice event data has led us down several paths; however, we believe it begins with the University of Wisconsin Limnology Department. UW is the birthplace of limnology in North America as they began research on Lake Mendota in 1890. Our understanding is they were the first to document the Lake Kegonsa ice events. Later, Doug and Ardys Pfundheller and Sheryl Renslo, true citizen scientists, recorded the ice event dates over a 40-year span. In 2017, FOLKS took over the responsibility. FOLKS is the official reporting source for Ice On/Ice Off data for Clean Lakes Alliance, WI DNR through the Citizen Lake Monitoring Network, and the Community Lake Ice Collaboration.
Ice On is defined as the date the lake is completely frozen over and remains frozen for 3 days (a small area of open water at the Yahara outlets or a small area kept open by waterfowl is permissible). If after 3 days the lake reopens, subsequent freeze dates will also be recorded.
Ice Off is defined as the date the lake completely opens and remains open. Large ice islands floating count as ice; however, small chunks of ice along the shoreline are accepted.
The methodology for determining whether the lake is frozen or open is to visually observe around the entire lake.
Folks began running “Ice On” and “Ice Off” contests in 2013. FOLKS members are notified when the contests are held and the following are the contest rules.
*Only FOLKS members may enter the contest
*1 entry per household/business membership
*The FOLKS member who guesses the correct Ice On/Ice Off date (or closest upcoming date) will win a prize
*If there are multiple correct entries, a drawing will be held to determine the winner.
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​Earliest Ice On: 11/12/1993
Latest Ice On: 1/14/2024
Earliest Ice Off: 2/26/1998
Latest Ice Off: 4/19/1975
​
Least Days of Ice: 2023/24 - 45 days
Most Days of Ice: 1955/1956 &1959/1960 - 148
Average Days of Ice (1953-2023): 109
Year Ice On Ice Off Days of ice (Notes)
2025 12/08/2025
2024 12/13/2024 3/15/2025 92
2023 1/14/24 2/28/24 45
(Latest ice on)
(Fewest days with ice)
2022 12/19/22 03/25/23 98
2021 01/01/22 03/27/22 86
2020 12/25/20 03/21/21 89
(Froze the first time on 12/18/20)
2019 12/15/19 03/20/20 97
(Froze the first time on 11/16/19)
2018 12/12/18 03/30/19 109
2017 12/14/17 03/30/18 107
2016 12/14/16 03/06/17 83
2015 01/05/16 03/11/16 64
2014 11/29/14 03/31/15 124
(Froze the first time on 11/21/14)
2013 12/07/13 04/10/14 124
(Froze the first time on 11/30/13)
2012 12/21/12 04/12/13 112
2011 01/13/12 03/10/12 57
2010 12/11/10 04/03/11 113
2009 12/12/09 03/27/10 105
2008 12/07/08 03/22/09 105
2007 12/05/07 04/09/08 126
2006 12/08/06 03/25/07 107
2005 12/05/05 03/13/06 98
2004 12/19/04 03/31/05 102
2003 12/13/03 03/20/04 98
2002 12/06/02 03/27/03 111
2001 12/29/01 03/14/02 75
2000 12/08/00 04/07/01 120
1999 12/19/99 03/05/00 77
1998 12/25/98 03/17/99 82
1997 12/16/97 02/26/98 72
(Earliest Ice Off)
1996 11/27/96 04/01/97 125
1995 12/03/95 03/25/96 113
1994 12/09/94 03/20/95 101
1993 11/12/93 03/27/94 135
(Earliest Ice On)
1992 12/12/92 04/09/93 118
1991 12/04/91 03/09/92 96
1990 12/08/90 03/23/91 105
1989 12/03/89 03/15/90 102
1988 12/11/88 04/03/89 113
1987 12/17/87 03/25/88 99
1986 12/12/86 03/14/87 92
1985 12/03/85 03/29/86 116
1984 12/23/84 03/28/85 95
1983 12/03/83 04/04/84 123
1982 12/16/82 03/06/83 80
1981 12/11/81 04/02/82 112
1980 12/11/80 03/16/81 95
1979 12/17/79 04/05/80 110
1978 12/03/78 04/18/79 136
1977 11/28/77 04/10/78 133
1976 11/29/76 03/23/77 114
1975 12/19/75 03/20/76 92
1974 12/03/74 04/19/75 137
(Latest Ice Off)
1973 12/11/73 04/03/74 113
1972 12/02/72 03/13/73 101
1971 12/02/71 04/18/72 138
1970 12/14/70 04/11/71 118
1969 12/05/69 04/07/70 123
1968 12/08/68 04/09/69 122
1967 11/29/67 03/25/68 117
1966 12/03/66 04/02/67 120
1965 12/19/65 03/17/66 88
1964 12/02/64 04/14/65 133
1963 12/13/63 04/04/64 113
1962 12/12/62 04/02/63 111
1961 12/12/61 04/08/62 117
1960 12/13/60 03/26/61 103
1959 11/15/59 04/11/60 148
(Longest number of days with ice)
1958 11/30/58 04/14/59 135
1957 12/04/57 04/02/58 119
1956 12/12/56 03/25/57 103
1955 11/14/55 04/10/56 148
(Longest number of days with ice)
1954 11/29/54 04/13/55 135
1953 12/03/53 04/01/54 119
1952 03/21/53
1949 12/23/49
1948 03/25/49
1947 12/01/47 03/28/48 118
1946 12/02/46 04/05/47 124
1945 03/20/46
1944 12/07/44 03/17/45 100
1943 03/24/44
1942 12/10/42 04/05/43 116
1941 03/23/42
1940 04/09/41
1939 12/28/39 04/16/40 110
1938 03/31/39
1937 12/08/37 03/26/38 108
1936 04/11/37
1935 03/27/36
1934 12/28/34 03/26/35 88
1933 03/16/34
1932 03/30/33
1931 03/31/32
1930 03/24/31
1929 12/05/29 03/17/30 102
1928 03/27/29
1927 12/28/27 03/24/28 87
1926 03/18/27
1925 04/16/26
1924 12/08/24 03/26/25 108
1923 04/15/24
1922 12/09/22 04/19/23 131
(Latest Ice Off)
1921 03/23/22
1920 03/11/21
1919 03/28/20
1918 03/20/19
1917 04/03/18
1916 04/11/17
1915 04/06/16
1914 04/09/15
1913 03/30/14
1912 12/11/12 03/30/13 109
1911 04/10/12
1910 03/21/11
1909 12/09/09 03/24/10 105
1908 04/05/09
1907 12/05/07 03/26/08 111
1906 12/07/06 03/25/07 108
1905 12/03/05 04/08/06 126
1904 04/02/05
1903 04/12/04
1902 03/20/03
